30-year-old barber shot dead for asking customer to wait

New Delhi: A 30-year-old barber was allegedly shot dead by a customer who was angered over being asked to wait for his turn at a shop in south-east Delhi’s Jamia Nagar area, police said.

According to police, the deceased has been identified as one Mohd Irshad Salmani of Shaheen Bagh. Based on a complaint by the family of the victim, an FIR has been registered against a local, identified as Afram.

Police said that the incident took place last evening when the accused had gone to the barber’s shop. The victim’s younger brother, Iqrar, was present at the shop when Afram came to get a haircut.

Afram insisted that he be entertained first, but Iqrar refused and asked him to wait till he had attended to the other customers who were already in the queue. Enraged over being told no, Afram slapped Iqrar at least thrice, police said.

According to the complaint, Iqrar thereupon ran home to get his brother, Irshad, to the shop. But before Irshad could ask what the matter was, Afram shot him in the chest and fled the spot.

Irshad was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

As news of the incident spread, locals gathered outside Jamia Nagar police station and demanded the immediate arrest of the accused.

A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused, who locals claimed has a criminal background.

Police said they have recorded the statements of Iqrar and other eyewitnesses in the case.